GATINEAU, Que. — Canada's top special forces soldier has been fined $2,000 after accidentally firing his weapon near another military officer last year.

A military judge handed down the punishment after Maj.-Gen. Mike Rouleau pleaded guilty at a court martial on Tuesday to one count of conduct to the prejudice of good order and discipline.

The case stemmed from an incident in northern Iraq last December, where 170 Canadian special forces are training Kurdish forces in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

According to a statement of facts read during the court martial, Rouleau and another officer were getting ready to visit a forward operating base after presenting several soldiers with medals when his rifle fired one round. The bullet hit the ground less than two feet from the other officer.

One of his subordinates had earlier warned Rouleau that the rifle was loaded, according to the statement. After the shot was fired, Rouleau expressed surprise, saying: "I can't believe that just happened."

A few minutes later, according to the statement, Rouleau told several soldiers: "Fellas, that was totally me, and I'll be sure to present myself to the CDS," referring to chief of the defence staff Gen. Jonathan Vance.

During the trial, prosecutor Maj. Chavi Walsh said Rouleau could have faced a maximum punishment of dismissal from the military with disgrace. He noted Rouleau, as a senior commander, had a responsibility to act as an example for his troops and hold himself to a higher standard.

But Walsh said he and Rouleau's defence lawyer, Maj. Luc Boutin, had agreed that a $2,000 fine sent a sufficiently strong message about the proper handling of weapons. It was also in line with the punishments handed out in a number of similar cases, he said.

During sentencing, Judge Lt.-Col. Louis-Vincent d'Auteuil said Rouleau's experience and position as a senior officer were aggravating factors. But he also said Rouleau was quick to report the incident and that he looked favourably upon Rouleau's reputation as a leader as well as his unblemished record.

"I accepted responsibility for this from the day it happened, and so I'm very pleased with the result."

Rouleau said little during the court martial, speaking only when required to respond to the judge. But in a statement to reporters afterward, he said he accepted the punishment and was happy to put the incident behind him.

"I accepted responsibility for this from the day it happened, and so I'm very pleased with the result," he said. "I'm proud to belong to a profession of arms where the accountability of the generals is the same as they are for the privates and the corporals. That's the way it should be."

Rouleau said his only regret was that his actions had taken the spotlight away from his troops.

The special forces commander is the latest senior officer to be fined for accidentally firing his weapon.

Brig.-Gen. Daniel Menard, for example, was fined $3,500 after firing two bullets in Afghanistan while he was commander of Canadian troops there in 2010.

General Tom Lawson, Chief of the Defence Staff, centre, takes a question during a technical briefing on Operation IMPACT, on Oct. 17, 2014. (Photo: The Canadian Press)

Another officer, Lt.-Col. Gilles Fortin, was also fined after accidentally firing a round from his pistol in the Kabul International Airport in 2012. Fortin had to pay $1,500.

Rouleau's three-hour court martial heard from one witness. Chief Warrant Officer Dan Legault, who was with Rouleau in Iraq when the rifle discharged, said special forces troops receive more training with their weapons than average soldiers and take great pride in knowing how to use them safely.

"We take it even a step higher in terms of weapons safety, weapons handling, just to reflect what we achieve," Legault said. But he also spoke highly of his commanding officer, calling Rouleau "the utmost talented operator that I had the privilege to serve with."

A 28-year veteran of the Canadian Forces, Rouleau has commanded the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command since February 2014.

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Canada's ISIS Mission: Then & Now

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Her'es a look at some of what's been said — recently and otherwise — about Canada's evolving role in the U.S.-led mission against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, which was officially retooled by the new Liberal government.
(Information from The Canadian Press)

"Our efforts should better reflect what Canada is all about; defending our interests and freedoms alongside our allies and working constructively with local partners to build real solutions for the longer term." — Trudeau, announcing a larger training and development mission and the withdrawal of CF-18 fighter-bombers.

"ISIL would like us to see them as a credible threat to our way of life and to our civilization. We know Canada is stronger — much stronger than the threat posed by a murderous gang of thugs who are terrorizing some of the most vulnerable people on earth." — Trudeau.

"Left unchecked, this terrorist threat can only grow, and grow quickly. As a government, we know our ultimate responsibility is to protect Canadians and to defend our citizens from those who would do harm to us or our families." — Former prime minister Stephen Harper on Oct. 3, 2014, as he announced in the House of Commons a plan to send Canadian aircraft to fight in Iraq.

"Canadians did not invent the threat of jihadi terrorism and we certainly did not invite it; nor, as this global threat becomes ever more serious, can we protect ourselves, our communities, by choosing to ignore it. That is why a strong majority of Canadians have supported our government's mission against ISIL. Canadians understand that it is not merely in the wider interests of the international community, but specifically in Canada's national interest." — Harper on March 24, 2015, telling the Commons of a plan to extend and expand the mission.

"It is important to understand that while airstrike operations can be very useful to achieve short-term military and territorial gains, they do not, on their own, achieve long-term stability for local communities. Canadians learned this lesson first-hand during a very difficult decade in Afghanistan where our forces became expert military trainers renowned around the world." — Trudeau on Monday.

"Along with our allies and through the auspices of the United Nations, Canada should provide more help through a well-funded and well-planned humanitarian aid effort. The refugee crisis alone threatens the region's security, overwhelming countries from Lebanon to Turkey, from Syria itself to Jordan. Here at home, we should significantly expand our refugee targets and give more victims of war the opportunity to start a new life in Canada." — Trudeau as Liberal opposition leader in the Commons, March 2015.

"Our allies want us in the fight against ISIS, that is clear. This is a despicable terrorist group. And Canadians want us in the fight against ISIS because it is our fight and that is clear. When our friends and our allies are attacked, it is our fight and when our values are threatened and our country is threatened and our friends are threatened, it is our fight. And when human rights are trampled and human dignity is trampled, then it is our fight." — Interim Conservative leader Rona Ambrose.

"The prime minister likes to say he cares about diversity, but there is nothing that threatens diversity more than ISIS — whether it is the rights of women, cultural and religious freedoms, or the rights of gays and lesbians." — Ambrose.

"The Canadian announcement is the kind of response the secretary has been looking for from coalition members as the United States and our coalition partners push to accelerate the campaign against ISIL ... the United States is willing to lead the coalition in the fight against ISIL, but the barbaric group poses a threat to every nation, so every nation should join this fight. If countries are unwilling or unable to contribute militarily, then they should consider the important non-military ways they can contribute to this effort." — Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook during Monday's Department of Defense briefing.

"We are concerned that the Liberal government has chosen to place Canadian Forces personnel deeper into an open-ended combat military mission in Iraq — a mission that fails to even define what success would look like. And while we welcome the government's announcement today of increased humanitarian assistance to the region, we are concerned that this aid is being linked to the military mission." — NDP MP Helene Laverdiere.

"I commend Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for committing to increase humanitarian and military aid for the nearly 4.6-million Syrian refugees who have been displaced by five years of brutal war in the region." — Green party Leader Elizabeth May.

"As a founding member of the coalition, Canada has been a valued and willing partner in the mission to degrade and destroy (ISIL) and has played an important role across all lines of effort." — Bruce Heyman, the U.S. ambassador to Canada.

"We're pleased Canada is continuing to invest and play a leadership role in educating and protecting children affected by crises in Syria and Iraq." — David Morley, president and CEO of UNICEF Canada.